Chipotle Stock Is Slipping on News That Its CEO Is Heading To Starbucks

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) fell Tuesday on the news that the burrito giant would be replacing a heaping helping of the leadership that has helped its stock to guac-defying levels. 

The stock, down about 8% befor the opening bell, dropped as Starbucks (SBUX) said Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol would become its chief executive and chairman starting in September. The news delays the retirement of longtime CFO Jack Hartung, who was expected to retire in January; he will still be replaced by Adam Rymer in January but will now stay on indefinitely in another role to aid the transition. 

This morning’s dip in Chipotle’s stock comes after the shares have climbed dramatically during Niccol’s tenure; they’re not far off record highs seen earlier this year.

Chipotle COO Scott Boatwright will become interim CEO, while board member Scott Maw was named chairman. “We are well-prepared for events like this due to the deep bench within the organization,” Maw said. 

Starbucks said it expects Niccol to be a “transformative” leader, and he’s credited with having that effect on Chipotle, too. He moved over from Taco Bell in 2018, taking on a company that had been beset by food-safety issues that wounded its brand. While the company hasn’t been immune to criticism–it lately has dealt with the perception that it’s skimping on portions, for example–Niccol has helped it modernize operations while making deliberate menu updates. 

Restaurant Chains Seeking to Emphasize Value Amid Stretched Consumers

The company is also contending with a dining atmosphere in which fast-food chains are seeking to emphasize value with consumers feeling stretched.

Chipotle stock, which ticked higher yesterday, is up more than 20% this year and 50% over the past 12 months through Monday’s close. The company split its shares 50-for-1 in late June, and last month it reported second-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for sales and profit.  

Wall Street was broadly bullish on Chipotle before today’s news landed: Nearly all of the analysts covering the stock had “buy” ratings on the shares, according to Visible Alpha, with an average price target representing a roughly 17% premium to Monday’s close.